Simonyi Survey Telescope Dedicated at NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Ceremony
NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory celebrated a landmark moment in astronomy and astrophysics with the dedication of the Simonyi Survey Telescope on 4 October 2024. With the Simonyi family as guests of honor, Rubin Observatory recognized the pivotal role of Charles and Lisa Simonyi’s philanthropy in advancing construction of the Observatory and supporting research that will soon transform our understanding of the Universe.
Vera C. Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science (DOE), proudly announced the naming of its state-of-the-art 8.4-meter telescope as the Simonyi Survey Telescopeduring a dedication ceremony held on 4 October 2024. This celebratory event at the Rubin Observatory Summit Facility on Cerro Pachón in Chile was attended by the Simonyi family, Rubin Observatory leadership, representatives of NSF and DOE, NOIRLab leadership, and other guests.
“This marvelous machine — envisioned by Tony Tyson more than twenty years ago and created by hundreds of scientists, engineers, and technicians — will do the the yeoman’s work for thousands of astronomers around the world, leading us to countless new and exciting discoveries,” said Charles Simonyi. “We are greatly humbled by and proud of the naming of the Simonyi Survey Telescope.”
The Simonyi Survey Telescope’s name recognizes the financial support of the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences, which provided a $20 million gift in 2008 that enabled construction of the telescope’s mirrors. That foundational support provided early momentum that — along with Rubin being ranked as the top large ground-based initiative in the 2010 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey — helped transform Rubin Observatory from an idea to a major research facility. The project was fully realized through more than $800 million in federal funding from NSF and DOE. Simonyi continues to open doors for researchers through his collaboration with NSF on the NSF-Simonyi Scholars program which supports early career researchers focused on the science that Rubin Observatory will enable when it begins operations in 2025.
“We are thrilled to honor the Simonyi family’s commitment to advancing astronomical discovery and exploration,” said Zeljko Ivezic, Director of Rubin Observatory Construction. “Their support has been crucial for the construction of this world-class facility and for the scientists who will use the Simonyi Survey Telescope to better understand our Universe.”
The 2008 gift from the Simonyi family enabled the early construction of the telescope’s groundbreaking 8.4-meter primary/tertiary mirror at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab at the University of Arizona.
In addition to funding key construction activities, Simonyi’s contribution helped launch visionary programs such as the LSST Corporation (now the LSST Discovery Alliance) Data Science Fellowship Program, a two-year course that trains graduate students to meet the scientific challenges posed by large astronomy datasets. “The original Simonyi family investment in Rubin Observatory laid critical groundwork for developing next-generation leaders for the era of big data,” said Beth Willman, Chief Executive Officer for the LSST Discovery Alliance.